The Washington critic., 1887-12-13
UNCLE SANS GROCERY.
How Officers Families Obtain Goods
. at a Discount.
A VISIT TO THE STOREHOUsE.
Details of n Business of No Small
Proportions.

Just south of the Bureau of Engraving
and Printing, west of Fourteenth street
and facing the river bank, stands large
frame building, with one-story l. ex-
tending along the alleyway. This is the
United States commissary depot for the
supplying Of subsistence stores to the
soldiers of Fort Mycr and the Arsenal.
This depot also furnishes to the families
of retired officers resident in the city
groceries and provisions ut a lower rate
than they could be purchased of city
dealer. The United States Commissary
Department buys in large quantities di-
rect from the importers and wholesale
dealers all the provisions used by the
army.
As Uncle Sam is n cash customer and
large consumer, his trade is sougS for
and he is quoted very low prices Oh all
he buys. The army officers are allowed
to get groceries Mt first cost from the
commissary depot; that is, they can buy
one barrel of flour ut the pro rata rate
the Government paid for 1000 barrels,
which were bought not in open market,
but from the dealer offering the lowest
price in answer to the Departments pro-
posals for supplies. A CRiTIc reporter
dropped into the depot storchouse here,
long, low building, the interior look
ing like a grocery store. The air was
tinged with the subtle flavor of coffee,
spices, and bacon.
Great piles of salt meat stacked high
in a corner. Sacks of fragrant coffee
from Rio and Java. Boxes of black and
green tea from China and Japan. Little
packages. of spices and peppers from the
isles of the Indies. Case after case of
canned tomatoes, corn and fruits. Bar
rcls of rice and hominy. Casks of sugar
and molasses and tirkins of butter. Cad
dies of tobacco for the enlisted officers,
and row after row of boxes of Havanas,
Reinas and Perfcctos for the officers.
Hanging from nails on the wall were
canvas-covered hams and lengths of
breakfast bacon, and last, but in greatest
profusion, seeming incxhaustiblc sup
ply of that Joy and comfort of the army,
the succulent bean.
The Government buys nothing but the
best goods, and it goes without saying
that If. it is possible to get pure, unadul
terated articles of food the officers and
men in the United States SCI "'cc have
them. The majority of the Icuged off
GERS living in Washington avail Them
selves of the opportunity of saving 4
small per cent. on their grocery bills by
purchasing their supplies from the com
missary. 1t is no unusual sight to sec
several fine equipages drawn up before
the door of the storc-honsc, while the
owners of them, officers wives, are inside
the building selecting and ordering thcil
supplies of groceries. An account il
kept with those who purchase from thu
commissary and prompt payment is re
quired at the end of every month.
The depot keeps II small deliver,
wagon, which delivers TO any part of tn,
city the orders filed by the storekeeper
The plan of selling groceries TO the Off
GERS was inauguratcd several years age
for the protection of those stationed a
far Western and inaccessible posts
These men were compelled to buy thei
supplies from sutler, and the price
were often so cxorbitant that the margii
between the expenses of II soldier sta
toned there and one in the East wa
quite large amount. The system no
only saves money to the officers, bu
gives them better class of supplies.